


Patterns of Warmth 12, - Kidnapped Comfort

by IreneClaire



Series: Dimensions [19]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapped Charlie and C.J., M/M, Protective Danny "Danno" Williams, Protective Steve McGarrett, Sick Character, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, Worried Danny "Danno" Williams, Worried Steve McGarrett, mcdanno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26803699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneClaire/pseuds/IreneClaire
Summary: New story in Patterns written for Whumptober 2020 using 2 day's worth of prompts.Day 2 "Kidnapped" - Charlie and C.J. are kidnapped from school by Rachel's new au-pair, a woman very involved with Stan Edwards. Day 3 "Comfort" - from the alternate list. Kind of obvious how Danny and Steve will be comforting each other, as well as the boys after this scare.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett & Danny "Danno" Williams, Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: Dimensions [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1022352
Comments: 50
Kudos: 80
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	1. Kidnapped

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"She abandoned them in the Park yesterday afternoon. Right after Rachel called asking Charlie be picked up early."

"Charlie didn't feel well at school and he's been outside now? In the elements all night?" Fear as he stated this fact rendered Danny silent and Steve didn't push as they began to understand the enormity of the task ahead of them. Both boys were in trouble. Danny was very much aware of that but Charlie's medical history would forever be cause for concern.

Plus, the Park she'd chosen - Ahupuaʻa ʻO Kahana State Park - was on the windward side of O'ahu. As a nature preserve, the valley was rough and dangerous. The trails could traverse rain forest or lead to the ocean. And at over 5,000 acres in size, parts were nearly impenetrable. Then, as Steve knew, there was the issue of its temperamental weather patterns. Rain was a given where even the most well-used of hiking trails would become slick with mud from the frequent tropical downpours. Though they were absolutely worried about both boys, Danny's concerns for Charlie were well founded.

"Where? Where do we go in?" Danny's voice sounded thin, as if he were strangling on the air he was breathing. The map which Steve had brought up on the smart table's big screen was intimidating to say the least.

"If she took them in on the Nakoa Trail from the parking area like she insists she did, we start there and spread out in a logical search pattern into the rainforest and hunting area. I want our largest focus on this area immediately."

"On it, Boss," Junior announced as he began to make a series of calls to instruct some of the search teams to assemble at the main entrance to the large Park.

"But if she's lying and took them north, towards the look-outs and the campgrounds, we'll need a few teams to tackle the trails from the Orientation Center. Just in case … I need to be sure," Steve added, doing everything he could to not pound his fist into the surface of the smart table.

"I'll take that one," Lou Grover announced. "Are you two going to split up between the two Search and Rescue contingents?"

"No," Danny said. "We're going in on Nakoa. Together and I want Junior to tag along with us, too. So Lou, I need you on the alternate Orientation search just in case we're wrong."

"You don't even have to ask," the man comforted Danny as best he could. An impossible feat when both C.J. and Charlie had been missing for eighteen very long hours and both parents were well beyond stressed.

Neither could adequately console the other as watches were checked and new information was lobbed their way requiring a complete change in their prior course of action as the search switched massive gears. Because, until ten minutes ago when they had finally found Imelda May Arango, Rachel Edwards' au pair, they had been looking in all the wrong places.

"I want two ambulances in the parking lot. Waiting," Danny demanded next. "I want them there now."

"They'll be there before us," Lou confirmed of the ambulances, jogging now to keep up with both Steve and Danny who only paused to gather additional gear from their stores.

The kidnapping had been done with a certain finesse and they would have all missed the who and why of it if Stan Edwards hadn't been contacted as a last resort. Rachel had been in a panic when she didn't find the boys upon arriving home from work. Her house had been empty. Silent. With no school books or book bags; no sign of the au pair she'd hired, Rachel had contacted Danny and then Stan, desperate for someone - anyone - to talk to.

But then when she'd mentioned the new au pair to Stan, describing the pretty Filipino woman and sharing a picture by text, Stan had been duly shocked. He knew the woman and very well at that. His surprise had been an honest reaction. Of that there was no doubt. But his next admission about how he knew her and about his relationship to this woman had startled all of them.

" _Imelda? No, this is Jana Rosero. She's … she's my girlfriend," Stan had confirmed to both Danny and Steve from Sao Paulo where he'd been putting together a business deal for the past many months._

" _How long have you been seeing her?" Steve had asked._

" _Six months; almost seven._ _I met her at a dinner party. She was a member of the catering staff. Funny. Quirky and … uncomplicated. We became close and Jana is someone I can talk to. We're seriously involved. So she's aware of the problems Rachel and I have had; she's aware that we're recently separated."_

" _Do you have any idea why she'd pass herself off as someone else and then manage to get Rachel to hire her on while you've been traveling?" Steve asked the question which everyone now had foremost in their minds. "Why would she do all of this and then kidnap the boys?"_

" _I don't know!" Stan had said. "It doesn't make sense to me at all; we're still seeing each other like I said. Everything's been great. She's supposed to fly out tonight to meet me. We're thinking about relocating here so it's easier to manage this business deal. But … now? I'll leave on the first flight out; I'm coming back."_

" _I'm sure you know something else. Think!" Danny had objected as his stress grew. "Come on Stan, this makes no sense! Why would she do something like this if your relationship was so good!?"_

" _I don't …. I don't really know," Stan had begun to talk more and then had stopped, his expression pensive over the live call._

" _What?" Steve had asked. "We're wasting time … I also need to know where you think she is. Where is she Stan? Where would she go? Where might she take them?"_

" _Last month I was upset about not seeing Charlie for his 7th birthday. It's the first one I've missed you know," Stan had explained._

" _Sure I sent a gift but I didn't go. I didn't want to confuse Charlie anymore than he was already. But for me? You can understand how hard this is, Danny. I love those kids, too. This was the first birthday where we all knew the truth though … I drank a lot that night … too much. But I was home and I was upset. Jana … she … she was great and really helped me through it. But if you're sure she's the one who's kidnapped Charlie … I just can't believe she'd do this."_

" _She has to be the one!" Danny spat out angrily. "There's no one else! Is there anything you can think of?"_

" _God. Shit, I wonder," Stan's curse had been loud after another pause. They could all feel his distress and confusion. "I was drunk that night but I remember saying to Jana how I'd wished Rachel hurt as much as me … for the lies … for taking away my son. For ruining our family. She seemed … angry … really angry on my behalf. And if I think about it over the last month now, she's been incredibly supportive. Almost … protective … maybe even a bit too protective."_

" _Where?" Steve had repeated._

" _Like I said, we're living together," Stan had said. "She moved in last month and she's supposed to join me tonight. I can't understand this at all, but try the townhouse. She has access to my SUV, too. Whatever I can do … just let me know. Please."_

And maybe not so surprisingly, they'd found her at Stan's new townhouse having a leisurely, lazy morning to herself as if nothing might be wrong. Suitcases packed for her late evening flight to Sao Paulo, Jana hadn't a care in the world. Arrested and brought into 5-0's rendition for interrogation by HPD, confronted by what they knew about her relationship with Stan Edwards, Jana Rosero suddenly cared a lot as she began to angrily explain just enough for some dots to be connected.

If Stan had remembered her being angry on his behalf, he'd been absolutely correct. Except Stan had misread the spectrum of her fury and just how willing she was to do anything in the world for him.

" _That bitch hurt him. She hurt Stan and I'm hurting her back … for him. Because I love him and he never deserved to be hurt like that!"_

The words corroborated Stan's times ten. In fact, upon hearing the first ripples of confession and reading the volume of hatred in the woman's voice, Steve had dispatched a team to Rachel's house for a thorough investigation from top to bottom. Foodstuffs, cleaning supplies. Anything and everything would be checked for contamination since they now didn't know how far Jana Rosero would have been willing to go.

" _The boys. Where are they?" Danny had barely been able to hold himself together. Steve hadn't been much better. Jana's off-handed shrug and queer smile had set the stage for what had become an ugly interrogation._

Lou Grover had intervened at that point to drag more of the truth out of the woman. Tasked with picking Charlie up from the school nurse an hour early due to illness, Jana had taken spontaneous action to put into motion a simple method of payback. And why not? With a plane ticket already paid for by Stan, she'd be off island quickly enough. As far as the other boy? C.J. had only been taken along by the woman because he'd gotten in the way.

All because it had been Rachel's visitation week and both boys had wanted to be together.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: got nuthin! Except this was sort of slammed together - so any mistakes are my own in plot or structure. And so two chapters? Yah - already at least three and maybe four.
> 
> 1\. Day Two "Kidnapped" - (In the Hands of the Enemy: Pick who Dies, Collars, Kidnapped) Charlie and C.J. are kidnapped from school by Rachel's new au-pair, a woman very involved with Stan Edwards.
> 
> 2\. Day Three "Comfort" - from the alternate prompt list. Kind of obvious how Danny and Steve will be comforting each other, as well as the boys after this scare.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

C.J. crouched under a tree, doing the best he could to shield himself from the morning rain. Virtually covered in mud and soaked to the skin, he was chilled and miserable even though the sun had started to come up to chase the clouds away. He flinched as a sharp sliver of lightening lit the far side of the mountain. It was a lot farther away now. The storm was almost over and it was getting brighter with every passing minute, but he was still scared.

Nighttime had been worse though. Unable to hear and with Charlie sick and curled up on the ground, C.J. had been more afraid in the pitch darkness of the rain forest. He'd cried a lot during those long hours and was still wiping tears away because he wanted to go home. He wanted Charlie to wake up and talk to him. And he desperately wanted Danno and Daddy to come and find them, and to make his brother feel better.

As the sun peeked through the last of the storm clouds and the jungle became brighter, C.J. rubbed at his nose with the back of his clasped hands. Zip-tied together, he couldn't make any finger signs or do too much to help his brother who was lying on the ground next to him. After Charlie's babysitter, Miss Imelda, had made them come to the Park. She'd wanted to go on a long walk. She'd insisted on playing a game with them even though Charlie hadn't been feeling well.

That game was how C.J. had wound up _handcuffed_.

" _Oh, you're okay Charlie," she had said when Charlie had asked to go home instead of playing a game. "I have some very special medicine, it will make you feel better so fast. Then you can run and play all day!"_

Miss Imelda had taken a big bottle out of her bag. A dark bottle holding a shiny red syrup. Special medicine that would make Charlie feel good and he had believed her. He'd taken the medicine - two whole spoonfuls - and swallowed it down. He'd smiled and told C.J. it tasted like cherries. That was when Miss Imelda asked C.J. to try some too. The special syrup would make him stronger; he would be able to run faster. Do anything he wanted! But C.J. didn't want any of the special medicine. Miss Imelda had said that was okay with her and then suggested that they play a game on the trail. A new game called good cops and bad cops.

Charlie had made a face and C.J. had shrugged. They played games like that all the time. Miss Imelda had laughed though. Her game was different because they had the whole Park to play in. She also had make believe handcuffs to make it more fun. And in the beginning, Miss Imelda had been right. Her game had started out to be more fun. C.J. had giggled when Charlie had _handcuffed_ him with the plastic ties Miss Imelda had in her pocket because C.J. was the bad guy … the bank robber. Charlie had needed help with the stiff plastic and Miss Imelda had bent down, making the cuffs a little tighter around C.J.'s wrists.

Then with Charlie as the bad cop and Miss Imelda as the good cop, C.J. was told to try and get away. To try and run so that Charlie could make believe catch him. Both boys had been laughing at first, thinking it great fun as they ran off the trail a little bit. Dodging around ferns and big koa trees, Charlie had forgotten about being sick. Everyone had been laughing. But then they'd lost sight of Miss Imelda.

Neither of them could find the main trail. And no matter how much Charlie had shouted for her, Miss Imelda didn't come. They hadn't been able to find the woman or get the fake cuffs off of C.J.'s wrists. They had given up on the cuffs out of frustration. They had tried to walk even as night had fallen and the temperature had begun to drop. What had been hot during the day was now damp and cold as the jungle became darker and darker. Shoulder to shoulder, they had tried to stay warm and keep walking until Charlie said he was tired, sick and dizzy.

Sniffling through his tears as the sun began to warm him, C.J. nudged his brother until Charlie opened his eyes. Maybe they could try and walk some more now that the rain had stopped?

' _Walk'_ , C.J. did his best to sign what he wanted when Charlie peeked up at him. " _Walk.'_ Charlie understood him. C.J. could tell that he did. But Charlie didn't get up. Instead, he closed his eyes, tiredly shaking his head even when C.J. nudged him again. Not knowing what to do or how to help his brother, C.J. bit his lip. He knew that Charlie was really sick and needed help. He didn't want to go alone or leave Charlie, but C.J. needed to move.

Taking a deep breath, C.J. got to his feet. And even though Daddy had told him to stay where he was if he ever got lost, C.J. knew he had to leave Charlie this time. It was going to be hard too because without his brother to hear for them, C.J. would never know if Danno or Daddy were calling their names. But he had to try.

Screwing up his courage, C.J. used both hands to nudge Charlie a little harder. When he looked up, sad and sick, C.J. tapped his chest and then both tried to speak out loud and sign some simple words.

"Danno and Daddy … _walk … get help_." Charlie looked at him, seemed to understand and then nodded, his eyes glassy and sad. _"I'm going. Stay here."_

Charlie blinked up at him, his eyes glassy from fever and tears. His chin trembled as if he might cry but then he nodded.

Scared to leave, C.J. made himself walk away. He tried to memorize where Charlie was as he began to leave. He walked slowly, looking over his shoulder every few feet to make sure he could still see his brother under the big ferns. Turning and looking until he could just spy the tiny speck of white that was Charlie's t-shirt.

When he couldn't see that anymore, C.J. hugged his hands to his chest and just kept going.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: so much for 2 chapters ... probably 4 chapters to get out what needs to get out.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"We'll find them. We will," Steve promised as they jogged over the mud-slick ground, uncaring of any hazards to themselves in the heavy downpour. Like his partner, outwardly, Steve was all business. Able to give orders and think logically. But also like his partner, Steve was ever so slowly unraveling, thread by thread. They couldn't comfort each other adequately. There weren't any good words to console each other well enough. They could only be together as the clock ticked and worry mounted.

He slipped once, steadied by Danny's hand on the shoulder strap of his backpack. Without their tack vests and usual gear though, they were traveling light and moving fast. He for one was pushing hard despite the uneven ground and thick patches of mud. There were no complaints though. Except for his own chatter, the panting of the two Rescue dogs being managed by two pairs of handlers, and the occasional update heard over radio, they were all silent. They would split up when they reached what they believed to be the optimal starting point off the Nakoa Traiil based on Jana Rosero's description. Until then, they'd stay lock-step as they moved quickly down the 3.5 mile path.

"We have every able bodied person out here. Plus the dogs," Steve said, wishing he could shut his mouth because he was rambling now. "Rains stopping now, too." Where Danny ceased all conversation when under stress, apparently Steve became the chatterbox. "I'm sure they're fine. Charlie's fine, too ... he'll be fine."

The soft grunt of sound from Danny meant he disagreed and that worry finally came out as a short verbal explosion. All at once, the thin sounding breathless rant which incredibly highlighted all of their combined fears sent a cold dagger into Steve's gut.

"Charlie was already running a low grade fever," Danny said. "Suppose they didn't stick together? What about these damned trails and the rain? It was cold last night. They've had no food or water for hours! Steve … C.J.'s so afraid of storms and then there's Charlie's immune system. I know he's been fine, but he can't afford to … he might not ... he might not survive _this_. What if ..."

"No!" Turning on his heel, Steve grabbed both of Danny's shoulders when he nearly plowed into him. "No!" Danny's face was ghost white and red-rimmed eyes glimmered with unshed tears. Steve had seen this before. He'd seen this expression on Danny's face when Grace had been kidnapped so many years ago by Peterson, Danny's one-time partner back in Jersey. Now, that hopeless sense of fear and negativity was leaking through to him and the knife in Steve's gut twisted another turn. "We can't think like that. We just can't. The boys are fine ... we are going to find them."

Desperate for Danny to believe him, Steve gave him a small shake. "We are going to find them, Danno," he repeated.

"Sure." One word fraught with pain followed by a curt nod wasn't very credible but Danny seemed to rally just enough to push at Steve's arm and motion down the trail. "Fine. Okay. Let's keeping moving."

Steve's heart stayed firmly rooted in his mouth as he picked up his pace, trusting Danny to be on his heels. He fought to compartmentalize their shared worries. Everything which Danny had stated in a rush of words was true. All valid concerns, however they needed to stay on task. As he jogged ahead, Steve had a mental map of where they were based on where Jana Rosero had indicated. They still had no idea if she was telling the truth. But with no other intel, they did have the best plans already well in motion.

"Here. This is it," Steve announced near the mid-section of the trail. Without wasting a second of time, he started making demands of the teams he commanded, each with a highly trained Rescue canine. "Team One goes West towards the hunting area. Team Two, Take a direct easterly track from this point. Danny and I will head southeast. I want radio contact every ten minutes to confirm location and status."

Steve waited then just long enough for each team to disappear from sight and to validate where Lou's and Junior's teams were as they entered the Park from the different agreed upon directions. The two ambulances were already idling in the parking lot; a helo was also at their disposal if needed. Useless over the heavy jungle, if an airlift might be needed, it would at least also be on call, accessible to them via a parking area.

Then he turned towards Danny, stealing a few seconds of time to pull his partner to his chest. "I promise we'll find them," Steve whispered. "I promise." He tucked Danny to himself as a second skin when he more felt than heard the muffled sob. Just one permitted weak sound before Danny had reached up to press a kiss to his cheek. With one more kiss pressed to the top of Danny's head in kind, Steve aimed them southeast, off the main trail.

**H5O* H5O**

The dog startled him. It came out of nowhere, from underneath water-laden ferns, bursting forward with a lolling tongue. C.J. gasped, stumbled and then fell backwards, landing splay-legged in a shallow puddle of muck. The big black animal took up his whole field of vision until he saw the woman next, holding onto a very long leash. She was smiling, saying his name and then turning her head. Someone else was there, too. A man. Dressed in a uniform like the woman, he was talking wildly on a radio now. Reading his lips, C.J. thought the man said ' _Team Two'_. He said things which were too fast for C.J. to follow and understand. But he definitely then said C.J.'s name once and then twice. He'd been found by the good guys, but overwhelmed by the sudden explosion of activity, C.J. just sat where he'd landed. He barely blinked as the dog got close enough to give him a sloppy lick on his face, tail wagging crazily back and forth.

C.J.'s eyes followed the man's movements as he crouched down on his level. The man was still smiling, a smile that lit up his eyes and then he did something remarkable. He slowly began to speak and share some simple finger-signs.

"C.J.? I'm Dave," the man tapped his own chest as he spelled out his name. " … are you hurt?"

 _'No,'_ C.J. almost didn't remember to shake his head from side to side, eyes still like saucers. He looked over at the woman who was busy talking into her radio now. Her big dog was there, too. Laying by her side now, it had a fat orange rope toy with a ball attached to it between its paws which it was happily mouthing. Still a bit scared, C.J. jerked his eyes back to Dave's face when the man touched his sneaker.

"Good. That's good that you're not hurt," Dave was saying with a big smile. His eyes were kind and C.J. felt his chin begin to tremble when the man opened his hand, tapping his thumb to his forehead. _Daddy_. Not everyone could use finger signs like this and this one was so special. Dave did it once and then twice. "Your dads sent us. Lots of people are looking for you … for you and your brother. Is Charlie here, too?"

C.J. nodded again. He nodded yes to everything that Dave had just said. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see Danno and his dad. He knew that Charlie needed help and C.J. was sure that he could point the way.

"Come on then. Let's find Charlie and get you both home." Dave held his arms out to C.J., clearly asking if C.J. would come to him and if he might pick him up. Dave stopped though and then frowned, staring long and hard at C.J.'s bound hands, laying uselessly in his lap.

"Son of a bitch." The man very clearly had said bad words. C.J. had read his lips. He could tell that the man was upset and maybe even angry. Behind him the woman - his partner - was back on her radio and suddenly looking very angry too. Dave moved closer, still balanced on his toes, like a baseball catcher. He didn't ask for permission this time. Instead, David moved closer, his hands gently covering C.J.'s before cutting the plastic away.

"Do your hands hurt?" He asked and C.J. nodded just once. His chin trembled more and then the tears began to fall. Sobbing, C.J. felt himself being lifted by strong arms. He felt Dave's voice through his wet chest. He felt his head being tucked into a sturdy shoulder. He felt hands over his arms and legs; even checking his back for anything that hurt. A moment later, he felt the warmth of a blanket as it was wrapped around him because he was suddenly cold all over again.

Dave's voice rumbled a question. The man's fingers caressed his cheek and then ran into his hair, asking that he open his eyes. "Where's Charlie? Where's your brother?" Dave spoke and signed best as he could one-handed because C.J. had wrapped his legs firmly around the man's waist.

 _'That way.'_ C.J. pointed back towards the way he'd come. He wanted to take Dave but Dave seemed to know that as he shushed and smiled down at him.

"Baron will find him just like he found you!" Dave said reassuringly. "Just point where you think Charlie is and will have him fast, okay?"

C.J. made a face because maybe be should go, too. Just maybe Danno and daddy would want him to help. However, Dave seemed to know that he was still worried. Still scared and he pointed to Baron, who was now on his feet and excited to work again.

"I promise," Dave said. "Baron runs so fast. He'll find Charlie ... he knows which way you came and he knows how to find little boys. Just like he found you!"

 _'That way,'_ C.J. signed rapidly, forcing his sore fingers to work. _'Charlie. He's sick.'_

"We know he doesn't feel good," Dave said. "But Baron will find him, okay? And I'm going to carry you out of here and to your dads. I want you to just rest. Let me do all the work."

C.J. didn't get all the words that Dave said but he got most of them. As a frightened sob seemed to take his breath away, Dave waited long enough to point where his partner and Baron were already disappearing through the dense undergrowth. C.J. was sure it was the right direction to his brother and he sniffled as he nodded again.

"See? Now hang tight. Here we go," Dave said. With his hand bracing C.J.'s head as if he were a baby, he tucked him to his shoulder and started a fast walk. Eventually relaxing, C.J.'s eyes closed and he fell limp in Dave's tight, safe cuddle, dozing until he was jostled. He complained then, arms briefly flailing, more asleep than awake as a pair of new hands took him from Dave. Another blanket was wrapped around his body and gentle fingers ran over his brow and into his hair. He felt Steve's baritone reverberate into his body as he was bumped up high onto a familiar shoulder and C.J. snuggled in, comforted. Hugged tight, safe and close.

"Daddy," C.J. whispered out loud, eyes still closed, his hand twitching out of habit. Far too exhausted to raise his thumb to his forehead though, he felt another hand soothe the ache in his wrists. Baby soft kisses were layered across his cheek and C.J. sighed, finally at peace because Danno was there, too.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: **** grumbling in annoyance **** five chapters? really? It just didn't want to end here!

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"How bad is he ... and Charlie ... where's Charlie?" Words spilled out of Danny's mouth faster than Steve whose expression had become stricken as he cradled C.J. to his chest. "Any word?"

"Scared, cold and tired. I didn't find any injuries … he seems fine overall," Dave explained about C.J. as he kept a prudent eye on the boy he'd passed over to Steve. "We believe we're close to finding Charlie. My partner is back-tracking on C.J.'s trail; the boy seemed pretty positive about where he'd left his brother. But I need to tell you this. I just don't know how to say it … it's his wrists … God how do I say this?" For a split second anger replaced his calm and Dave stumbled over his tongue.

"What? What's wrong?" Steve asked, on edge as C.J. murmured his name. "Shhh buddy." He bent his head to place a kiss against C.J.'s temple, automatically doing a gentle rock from side to side until the boy quieted back down into a doze. All the while though, Steve was staring hard at Dave, demanding an answer.

"Okay. I'll just say it: his wrists were tied together," Dave said it all in a fast rush. "Zip ties ... who the hell does something like that?"

"I'm sorry. What?" Steve's voice was hard as steel, eclipsing anything Danny had on the tip of his tongue. C.J.'s brow furrowed and Steve lowered his voice, no less angry though. "What did you just say? Zip ties?" He looked at Danny, only his expression communicating his rage when Dave nodded.

The sound Danny made in his throat was nothing more than garbled nonsense. Ever so gently, he ran his hands over each of C.J.'s fingers and then his wrists. Limp in his hands as his son dozed on, Danny examined the the marks. While not obviously bruised, the soft skin on each wrist was marred by the imprint of a half moon.

"Charlie? Where exactly ... how far out?" Danny swallowed hard as he wondered about his other boy. Had she also done the same to Charlie - something worse? He was barely able to get any coherent words out of his mouth. He was beside himself with worry as he kept one hand linked to C.J. He was about to restate his demand when radios buzzed to life and everyone stilled, even Danny as Dave thumbed his comm unit.

 _"Dave? It's Allison ...we have him!"_ His partner's voice was jubilant. _"We have Charlie. Baron tracked him not too far from where we found C.J. He's a bit worse for wear …. we'll have to carry him out."_ In the background, Baron was barking and then whuffling happily at his second success of the day.

"She has him?" Emotions everywhere, Danny's flare of relief was short-lived. He needed more because Allison's update was almost cryptic. "But what does she mean about him being worse for wear; what does that mean? Why does he have to be carried out? How sick is he? And does your partner have enough hands to get him out?"

"Easy, Danny," Steve dared whisper before he multi-tasked to thumb his own radio on, open to all teams. "Junior or Lou? Are any of your guys able to converge with Team 2's location? Need an assist with Charlie."

 _"I've recalled my teams already. But I had my second team moving ASAP in that direction since we got word on C.J. to help out,"_ Junior radioed back instantly. His voice sounded breathless as he explained himself. They could tell he was also on the run and likely towards their position which he confirmed. _"I'll be to you in a few minutes. But my guys are only one or two minutes out from Team 2's current coordinates; they can be on the main trail and on the way back to the rally point where the buses are in less than ten."_

"Less than ten? From where we are now, we're about thirty minutes out from the rally point, aren't we?" Danny's head couldn't compute the math of that. He wasn't sure of the direction to take to also intercept Charlie's rescue team. And then there was the question of C.J. and Steve who was bordering an explosive level. On a razor's edge, he was doing a stellar job of dealing with a crisis which Danny seemed to know all too well. To his credit, Steve was still in charge. Still giving viable, credible orders. However, his outward demeanor was tangible. Muscles rippling in anger, it was obvious that Steve - like Danny - ached to move. So even in his exhausted stupor, C.J. was feeling Steve's anxiety as one hand flexed to tightly grip at Steve's shirt. He seemed to sense the ongoing tension as he moaned in his sleep, confused and wanting nothing more than his father's comfort.

They both needed to stay calm and Danny did his best to take a deep breath. His exhale was audible, a loud burst of air followed by an intentional roll of his neck to ease some of his tension. Steve caught the not so subtle hint and visibly forced his stiff posture to relax.

 _"Braden's team is here. We're on the move."_ The sat radio crackled again as Dave's partner confirmed her new status. _"Expected ETA to the trailhead is eight minutes."_

Danny was helpless to prevent the relieved sob from escaping. Things were now moving fast. He was still feeling a sense of desperation though and torn on what to do; where to go. At least they'd finally found both boys. Everything would soon fall into place if Danny could manage his own wild temper.

"We need to move," Danny said as Steve nodded. "Where can we meet them? Are we close?"

"Yeah, we're close," Steve replied. "Dave's team was north of us and moving on a parallel tack back towards the parking areas. We've corrected our course, to meet Dave with C.J. We have two options - go out to Nakoa and double-time it up the track to meet Charlie or do a bushwhack to intercept ... which will get us to him faster but could be hard on C.J."

"Hard on C.J.? That's not an option then. You need to stay with him. Take him up the trail. I'll do that bushwhack thing … I need to get to Charlie," Danny said, knowing and appreciating that Steve was anxious to be in two places at once. Hell, he did too as he tried to cope with far too many stressors. "Dave and I will go north …but we need to do it now ..."

A rustling through the brush, stopped him mid-thought and Steve's initial rumblings of worry. They all turned, surprised at first until they remembered what Junior had shared as he came into view.

"Hey, Sirs!" Junior's beaming smile was a welcome relief to counter some of the ongoing tension. "Can we do anything?" With him were two additional rescuers. Volunteers from one of the HPD offices. He looked at C.J., his smile growing even larger at the sight of the safely sleeping child.

"Junior," Danny welcomed the younger man but was itchy to leave. Mentally apologizing, he refocused on Steve and Dave, his hand now on Dave's shoulder to urge him on. "I'm going to meet them halfway. Steve, you need to take him back the long way … it's safer. He needs a familiar face."

"Well, can I do that? I'm a familiar face." Astutely reading the strained expression on his superiors' faces and understanding its immediate reason, Junior gestured to C.J. "He's sleeping … I doubt that he'll even wake up and if he does, he knows me anyway. So would there be any issue with me taking C.J. now, so you could both go and make sure Charlie's okay?"

"We can do that," Steve answered for them both. His voice was hoarse, overly quiet as he handed off the sleeping boy. "We can … take it slow, Juns."

"I understand, Sir. Except don't," Junior gently teased as he made sure C.J. was comfortable in his arms. "He'll be fine. We'll meet you up top, Sirs."

Still clearly distressed at needing to make any such decision, Danny pinched the tears away before placing a kiss on C.J.'s cheek. He watched, mesmerized as Steve gave a final doting kiss of his own to his son's head before they took a hard northerly direction towards Charlie's rescue team.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: Phoebe totally rocks for some major muse intervention! Thank you!

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Hours later it wasn't the children who needed cosseting, it was the parents. Towards the start of an overnight stay in hospital, the boys were only wanting to go home and play.

"Danno? Can I go home now?" Charlie whine was thick with mucous as he gave out with a harsh cough. "I want to go home. Please?" The drawn out final word grated on Danny's nerves and he sucked in a deep breath, remembering that he'd forgotten to breathe again. As a nurse peeked at them from the hallway, her smile meant to comfort, Danny knew he still looked a little wild eyed. Absolutely worn around the edges.

"Sorry buddy," Danny said. "We've gone over this and you need to stay the night to make sure your chest is okay. He ignored the next childish whine as he gently pushed the TV remote towards his son. "Here, pick something on TV." With a strangled sigh, Danny leaned back in his chair. He was exhausted but ready to camp out for the night right where he was. He'd been here so many times that he probably should have written a book on kids, hospitals and emotionally taxed parenting.

He glanced up towards where Steve was standing by the hospital room window. His partner still refused to turn around, opting instead to stare mindlessly out across a dimly lit parking lot dotted by an occasional palm tree. Danny knew that Steve heard the conversation. He was listening to every word. But he was also listening to the soft wheeze and pop of Charlie's breathing as the boy complained about staying overnight for observation.

"What buddy?" Danny asked when he heard the persistent thumping on the other bed. C.J. was slapping the mattress with his hand to get his attention. He grinned as C.J. tapped again, his expression showing just how much he also disliked the forced bedrest. He signed the word for _home_ and then the baby finger sign for _bored_.

Danny chuckled as C.J. twisted one finger by his nose for a second time. His need to laugh was a knee-jerk reaction from a tired mind. C.J. was very _bored_ indeed and suddenly it was hard not to laugh out right. The finger sign was hysterical especially in Danny's current state of exhaustion where the oddest thing would tickle his funny bone. Instead of replying because he might just lose it, Danny forced himself to tuck his amusement away. So when C.J. now adamantly repeated the sign, Danny merely continued to smile, making no move at all to engage in another conversation about how long the boys needed to stay at the hospital.

C.J. pursed his lips more, his expression almost murderous.

Then, he twisted his index finger by his nose again.

Danny's chuckle became a snicker of sound. A nasal huff of air. _Who in their right mind made up this as a baby finger sign for anything?_

Sitting between the two boys was a trial and tribulation unto itself as they objected their brief hospital stays. In fact, Steve and Danny's biggest secret was that C.J. didn't actually have to stay the night. The doctors had said as much. That it was their option alone because C.J. was technically fine. For Steve and Danny though, the more prudent option to settle their frazzled nerves was to keep them both in one place.

Over-tired and still stressed beyond measure, and as the boys started to ping-pong off each other, Danny was now beginning to second guess the intelligence of this particular decision. More so when Charlie chimed in as Danny knew he eventually would.

"Me too, Danno!" Charlie suddenly announced in a huff. "I'm bored too!" TV forgotten, the word ' _too_ ' sounded like a badly congested ' _doo_ '.

Danny chortled. He couldn't help it. He tried to ignore them both. But then Charlie even dared to copy the look on his brother's face. That murderous pout prompted another cheesy sniffle from deep inside Danny's chest. He knew he was woozy from stress. He was only minutes from face-planting onto the floor from severe muscle fatigue; every single part of his body hurt from Steve's definition of a bushwhack. An adventure which Danny hoped to never repeat in his lifetime. If anything might worsen the deal was that Danny was still wearing his clothes from the prior day; he could smell himself and it wasn't pleasant. It was the perfect storm to completely unravel him.

But there was something more to come. Something to add to the storm to push Danny over a helpless edge.

Finger by his nose, twisting away, Charlie had the absolute gall to mimic C.J.'s adamant complaint.

"Steve ... Steven," Danny felt an illogical bubble building inside his chest as both boys started copying each other. His eyes began to tear from holding himself back. His breath caught in his chest. Pinching the thin skin between his thumb to stop from laughing didn't even work at that point.

Fingers to noses, with their audience of one starting to come unglued, the game was on. Of the two boys, Charlie cracked first. Coughing through his giggles as he dramatically twisted his finger to almost poke his eyes. That breathy sound from C.J. only added fuel to the fire and Danny was a lost cause as the chuckle became an all out, uncontrollable laugh.

Tears were streaming down his cheeks when he caught the dark shadow move across his now very limited field of vision. He intuitively recognized it as a Steve-sized shadow. But it was Charlie's giggle of _Danno_ that really made him give pause. Wiping at his face, Danny snuffled and giggled. Then he looked around the room. He glance towards the window where Steve had been standing.

"Danno! Danno, where's Uncle Steve going?" Charlie asked, still giggling like mad, eyes shining bright despite the congestion rattling his lungs.

"What?" Still laughing along with boys, Danny pulled himself to his feet.

Giggling along with his brother, C.J. signed _coffee?_ as a question and then only laughed harder. But for Danny though, the bubble was quickly disintegrating even as the boys stayed caught up in their antics.

Sure enough though, Steve was gone.

"You two be good. Stay in those beds! And I'll be right back!" Danny ordered them, still smiling to keep the mood light. Inside though, he was confused as hell.

**H5O* H5O**

He shouldn't be this angry. On some level, Steve knew that _anger_ made no sense. The feeling was misplaced in the hospital setting. Still he couldn't help taking long strides from the boys' hospital room. Down the corridor, he saw the elevators but beyond those, the exit sign to the stairwell. A better option because he needed to not only only avoid people but to keep moving.

"Hey!" He glowered and kept going, refusing to turn around as Danny's voice reached him the same time he slammed both hands into the exit door's long push bar.

"Steve!" Danny's call disappeared as the door ricocheted off the inner wall and closed hard behind him. Steve glanced up and then opted for taking the staircase down to the main floor. He needed air and miles to walk. Moving faster when he heard the same exit door spring open, it almost was as if Steve was intentionally trying to put distance between his partner and himself. And hell, as he sensed Danny gaining on him, maybe he was.

"Steve! What the hell?! Stop! _Fuck_!" There was an odd sound - a hiss of something soft sliding against the metal structure of the stairs. A hollow _thud_ which rattled through to the rail along with another slew of cursing. _"Son of a bitch. Shit!"_ A slap of skin to metal and a vibration felt clean through to his hand and Steve pulled up short on the next flight.

That Danny had slipped on the stairs trying to catch up to him was a given. But if he had any intent of turning around, he didn't need to because Danny was still making his way. Albeit hopping and leaning heavily on the rail, he was still stubbornly determined to head Steve off. The look on his face was one of a thunderous pain. And for some reason, knowing that Danny had survived a jungle only to fall in a damned stairwell of all things ... and was now _limping_ ... only made Steve's anger flare all the more.

"What the hell are you doing?" Danny bit the words out over clenched teeth. He grappled with the rail, hopping a bit to keep pressure off his knee. _His bad knee_ Steve filed away despite the way his blood continued to boil.

"Me?" Steve just about hissed the one word back into Danny's face. "What the hell are _you_ doing?"

"Following you! Why did you leave? Where are you going?" Danny asked, angry now too as he picked up on Steve's foul mood. "What are you so pissed off about?"

"Seriously?" Steve chuffed an incredulous, stunned sound which echoed in the stairwell. How the hell Danny _not_ know what was wrong? "Well, hey, I guess the way you were all laughing your asses off back there means everything's fine, right? Just move on ... get over it!" Steve slapped his own hand to his chest. "Me? Well I can't, Danny! I can't laugh this off! There's nothing funny about what happened or where the kids are ... what almost happened to them out there ... or what Charlie looked like just a few hours ago!"

If Steve expected a verbal rebuttal? He didn't get one. Instead, Danny just stared at him for a good long minute.

"What are you able to laugh about?" Steve asked, reluctant to give up on his anger even as Danny seemed to wilt where he stood there, balanced on one leg. "C.J. slept for a few hours and feels better. So what? I mean ... he was _alone_ ... and what that bitch did to him! But Charlie? What about Charlie!? You know what he looked like when we met up with him? You know what he sounds like now ... and so his fever's down but hell, Danno! He could still ... _still!_ ... get pneumonia! You heard the doctors! So how could you laugh like that? After what she did and how we nearly lost the both of them, what the hell is so god-damned funny?"

Rumpled, eyes red-rimmed, Steve threw his hands out to the side. He could feel himself vibrating from having reached the end of a very frayed rope. "Just ... what the hell are we doing here?"

Steve didn't move as Danny hop-stepped closer. Without a word, Danny placed a hand on each of Steve's shoulders. There was a brief moment where they looked at each other; one silently calming the other. A shared look from each asking for understanding and offering apology for things said and done due to stress and sheer exhaustion. Another subtle rebalancing of his weight and Danny tugged Steve forward.

Whether Danny pulled himself up to meet him or Steve allowed himself to collapse down into Danny's embrace would forever be up for discussion. But as a warm hand shifted to the nape of his neck and fingers gripped the back of his T-shirt, Steve heard Danny's whispered promises that everything might not be fine ... but they would be alright. He took a deep breath in and held it, eyes closing on the soft exhale while he buried his face in Danny's neck, allowing himself this solace.

_**~ End. ~** _


End file.
